This Sunday (19th May), renowned flautist Katherine Bryan will be performing at London’s National Geographic store, as part of their Cultural Calendar. Beginning at 4:30pm, the concert will include works from both her debut album and her latest album, of which will be released on Monday 20th May.
Join us at the Brompton Street store for an afternoon of virtuosic and stylish playing.
Watch the video below for an insight into Sunday’s performance:
(Written on May 17, 2013 )
This Proms season WildKat PR are visiting the Royal Albert Hall to review the fashion choices of the audience at this world famous Summer event.
After compiling the prommers’ stories and photos from last week on our Pinterest board ‘Fashion at the Proms‘, here is our pick of the week: those prommers who gave us such insightful stories and opinions on the role of fashion in classical music, whilst also looking fabulous.
We talked to a lovely Prom performer who told us of the importance of looking smart when performing classical music, seeing a link between fashion and music that is not be ignored. He also has a strong dislike for those who take away from the formalities of classical music – such as musicians who take their handbags on stage with them!
Bright colours were in abundance, as were those looking cool in sunglasses (thankfully a necessity in last week’s glorious weather), with both of these young prommers who kept the repetoire in mind when selecting their prom outfits. Polly, in bright Orange, sought to brighten up a Rachmaninov prom, whilst Nicole, in floor length black, felt that Debussy gave her Prom a romantic feel that made her want to dress up and look elegant.
By far, the favourite of our prommers this week was Nigel. Having only missed 3 years of proms since 1947, aged 77, Nigel was keen to chat to us about style, classical music, and most importantly his jazzy purple tie.
Check out the rest of our stylish prommers on our Pinterest board. If you are attending the proms over the next coming weeks, you too could be up there soon!
(Written on July 31, 2012 )
Cosi Fan Tutte at Opera Holland Park begins tonight, conducted by the highly-acclaimed Thomas Kemp. The W.A. Mozart classic was first performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna on the 26th of January, 1790, yet in 2012 its new production, sung in Italian with English subtitles, will be performed on June 8th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 24th (2pm), 28th; July 4th and 7th at 7.15pm at the esteemed Holland Park venue. Cast members include celebrated Tenor Andrew Staples as Ferrando, accompanied the City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus.
Tickets for the full running of the show are still available here. This is a summer event not to be missed.
(Written on June 8, 2012 )
Today, celebrated string trio ‘Classico Latino’, which marries traditional Latin-American melodies with classical techniques, are embarking on a dazzling tour of Colombia. Highlights of the tour include a performance on the 11th of June at the closing ceremony of the ‘Mono Nunez Festival’ which features some of Colombia’s most renowned Andean musicians. This performance will be broadcasted live on national Telepacífico television. (Also on their website here - in Spanish)
Classico Latino’s much–anticipated new album ‘Latin American Classics’, which was recently recorded at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, will be launched on the tour at a very special gala concert at the ‘Teatro Colsubsidio Roberto Arias Perez’ in Bogotá on 15th June. The album features popular Latin American music performed by ‘Classico Latino and Friends’. Collaborators include tiple player Faber Grajales, percussionist Wilmer Sifontes, and Colombian superstar singer Andrés Cepeda. In addition, the performance will be filmed and streamed live on our very own WildKat Twitter feed.
The tour highlights the success that Classico Latino have had in Colombia, and is set to be a further climax in their ever exciting story.
For more information, see the Classico Latino website here.
Photo: Ben Wright
(Written on June 8, 2012 )
Congratulations to Music in Offices who were yesterday shortlisted for a RPS Award.
The announcement was made on Radio 3′s In Tune, where Ivan Hewett, Classical Music Critic from the Telegraph pipped the education scheme as his one to watch.
Music in Offices offer instrumental and vocal lessons to offices in and around London, offering employees the chance to learn a new skill, de-stress and socialise within their working environment.
Other nominations include Claudio Abbado, Harrison Birtwhistle and Eva-Maria Westbroek. For a full list of nominations visit the Royal Philharmonic Society website.
The winners will be announced on May 8th – good luck to all involved!
(Written on April 18, 2012 )
Virtuoso Baroque Violinist Johannes Pramsohler will be appearing on BBC Radio 3′s In Tune this afternoon along with his ensemble the International Baroque Players.
Johannes will be joined by IBP Director, Aliye Cornish, to talk about the groups upcoming events and recently released debut CD ‘Pisendel – Violin Concertos from Dresden’. The CD, which features previously unrecorded works by Handel, Fasch, Heinchen and Pisendel, has received rave reviews in the UK and mainland Europe.
The group will be performing tomorrow as part of the London Handel Festival at Grosvenor Chapel, 19.00 in a concert themed The Madness of Love’ featuring Soprano Mercedes Arcuri.
Tune in from 16.30 to listen live or catch up on BBC iplayer
(Written on April 11, 2012 )
This summer, Thomas Kemp makes his Opera Holland Park debut conducting their new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte.
The new production, directed by Harry Fehr, features an exciting cast including Elizabeth Llewellyn as Fiordiligi, Andrew Staples as Ferrando, and Julia Riley as Dorabella.
The engagement at Opera Holland Park marks Thomas’ operatic debut; a genre he hopes to apply the same discipline required for contemporary music to:
“The music for Così fan tutte is some of Mozart’s finest and is full of irony as well as heartfelt sincerity and is rich with allusion and quotation – all of which subtly draw attention to the artificiality of Da Ponte’s original and witty libretto. It is often the writing for the inner parts that adds so much depth and colour to the drama – the violas, second violins, bassoons and clarinets. This is what needs to be teased out of the orchestral texture to make this fantastic music truly come alive.”
Cosí fan tutte opens at Opera Holland Park on June 8th and runs until July 7th. For more information please visit the Opera Holland Park website.
(Written on April 2, 2012 )
Opera Australia and CinemaLive have announced on Friday that their dazzling production of La Bohéme is to be screened by Odeon cinemas. The broadcast will be coming to Odeon cinemas across the UK including:
Basingstoke
Belfast
Blackpool
Cardiff
Colchester
Derby
Dunfermline
Edinburgh Lothian Road
Hull
Kingston
Lincoln
London Panton St
London Greenwich
London Swiss Cottage
Maidenhead
Manchester
Milton Ketnes
Newcastle Silverlinks
Sheffield
Southampton
Taunton
Tunbridge Wells
Wimbledon
This Weimar Germany-set production of La Bohéme, a critical hit in Australia, shows the influences of Hollywood in its undeniable glamour, but the impending doom of a world on the brink of disaster also gives it a fragile quality. Here, the glitter of the Spielgeltent provides a decadent veneer over the hand-to-mouth existence of the era. Café Momus becomes a cabaret joint, all mirrored panels and carnival colours, populated by characters inspired by the paintings of Otto Dix and George Grosz.
For more information on the CinemaLive Opera Australia screenings please click here.
To book tickets for La Bohéme in an Odeon cinema near you, please click here.
(Written on April 2, 2012 )
Tonight marks the final of the Office Choir of the Year competition held by music education scheme Music in Offices.
The event, held at St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, marks the end of a year long search to find the best office choir in London. Entries were made by offices both large and small and across a wide range of professions. Some of the companies involved included L’Oreal, BBC Worldwide, Channel 4, News International, Norton Rose, UBS, Olswang, Royal Mail, Debenhams and Royal Historical Palaces to name a few.
The four finalists who will be singing tonight are:
Channel 4
Norton Rose
UBS
Olswang
The evening will be presented by Classic FM presenter Jamie Crick and will also have performance from special guests Blossom Street Singers.
The evening promises to be a wonderful celebration of all the hard work achieved by all the choirs involved. Good luck to all taking part!
For more information about MIO or to find out how you can start your own office choir please visit
(Written on March 22, 2012 )
rt.com
Opera Group Helps Blind Musicians Into The Limelight.
Professional musicians from all over Russia have gathered in Moscow for the opening night of “Gomer” – a new opera project with blind musicians as the stars of the show.
Telegraph
The rumbustious ‘Anna Nicole’ stood out, but most opera companies played it worryingly safe.
BBC Music Magazine
Deborah Bull To Leave Royal Opera House In 2012.
Creative director of Covent Garden venue moves on to King’s College, London.
Gramophone
BP Extends Royal Opera House Sponsorship For Five Years.
Funding to continue for Big Screen.
http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/bp-extends-royal-opera-house-sponsorship-for-five-years
(Written on December 20, 2011 )